Mark Bayne began as a student in Cape Fear Community College’s boat building program in 1978, and 34 years later, he has returned to lead the program.
Bayne was hired as the lead instructor of Cape Fear’s boat building program in August, and has more than three decades of professional boat building experience.
Bayne was the owner of Sea Island Boat works in Isle of Palms, S.C., and has built more than 100 wooden boats during his career. One of his most popular boats is the 140-foot Spirit of South Carolina, in Charleston, S.C.
“I want my students to be ready to step into a professional boat building operation knowing the terminology, being able to use the tools safely and knowing the construction techniques so they can hit the ground running,” Bayne said.
Students can receive a diploma in wooden boat building or boat manufacture and service. A night course is also offered, though students only receive a certificate, Cape Fear Community College Spokesman David Hardin said.
Cape Fear’s wooden boat building program meets five hours a day, Monday through Friday, over the course of three semesters, Hardin said. The program is structured much like a working boat shop where students learn a combination of traditional and contemporary boat building techniques, Hardin said.
This semester, students are working to complete two projects. The first is a 19-foot Core Sound sharpie designed by Brian Bland, and the second is a 20-foot Carolina spritsail sharpie with plans provided by the N.C. Maritime Museum.
Bayne emphasized the importance for students to be familiar with the complete construction process to gain the proper skills, and to experience the sense of pride upon seeing the finished product.
Bayne is optimistic about the future of boat building—specifically along North Carolina’ coast.
“I want these students have the self-confidence so when they finish the program they can say that they’ve built a boat from start to finish. Boat building has been good to me. My next goal is to make sure the next generation of boat builders gets a solid start so they can begin their careers,” Bayne said.
To learn more about Cape Fear’s boat building programs, click here.
